Garden Life: Crown-of-Thorns
How many times have I passed this way/ And never seen the little things/ That I see today?
The front walk-way of our home is lined by crown-of-thorns (or “can of corn” if you’re hard of hearing). I have marched up and down their constantly-blooming ranks, coming and going from church or the library or the chiropractor. I had never noticed anything particular about them (besides their prickly stems and sticky white sap). It was my more observant brother who pointed out to me something very strange about their blossoms.
The pale pink buds look very sweet but not remarkable.
They unfold in the sun to produce a crowded cluster of small, two-lipped flowers—pouty, brightly rouged lips.
Do you notice anything unusual about some of these blossoms?
Yes—two flowers begin to emerge and unfurl from the center of each flower. It is the funniest thing! Have you ever seen anything like this? God’s work truly holds endless amazement for those who keep their eyes open.
The ants were busy gathering sweet nectar.
Here are the fully mature and fading flowers, where you can clearly see the two flowers extending from each of the main flowers. As the red dims to a pink-yellow-green, the delicate veining of each petal becomes even more apparent.
There is the thorny stem that gives this plant its name. The red flowers suggest the drops of blood that fell from the torn forehead of our Savior, who died on the cross for the remission of our sins. God’s work truly holds endless amazement for those who keep their hearts open.
“And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him. saying, Hail, King of the Jews.” Matthew 27:29
Photographs and text © 2011.
Friday, July 15, 2011